1980 Topps Test Issue

[ALR-bishop]

Sixty card sets, 5 x 7, gray or white back, grays more common and a little thinner stock

[steve B]

Also sold loose in a box. The store near me that had them let anyone go through them to pick what they wanted.

Steve B

[Zach Wheat]

Al,

Funny coincidence...I had just purchased a set priotrto your post. Here is my contribution.

ZWheat

[Zach Wheat]

Al,

The seller of my set indicated a significant difference in production between the white back & gray back issues. Do you know or can anyone else provide information on the relative scarcity of white backs to gray backs?

Were both backs sold in the same retail outlets? Seller indicated the white backs are proofs. It seems like there are too many white backs for all of them to be considered proofs...but what are they?

Z Wheat

[steve B]

I don't think the white backs are proofs. They were available at retail in some areas. I forget which were the tougher ones. It was a really widely distributed test, unlike some of the others. One of the packs- I forget if it was the three or 5 pack was carried by Toys r us. (I'm thinking the three pack? One of the packs was a lot tougher than the other)

Is the Schmidt typical for your set? And is the set a white back set?

It looks like the blue for the signature is missing, maybe another too since the color seems off. Or maybe a bad scanner setting?

If it's not a bad setting and they're all like that maybe you picked up a set of progressive proofs, or an error set.

Steve B

[ALR-bishop]

Both gray and white were sold in retail packs. I posted one of each above. Whites are less common than grays but not scarce. The white backs have a slightly thicker stock. As Steve mentioned this product also entered the hobby in bulk lots on the side.

[steve B]

I actually bought the bulk cards at retail. Yellow box, top flap plus If I recall right a cutout in the front and a stack of cards inside. One store had them, but insisted you only buy what was on top. The other didn't care as long as you bought some. I probably have a box somewhere but it'll be a long search if I decide to look.

Steve B

[moeson]

I remember having a tough time finding the white backs in Manhattan, but they were plentiful at Woolworths when I visited San Juan that year.

[Bob Lemke]

Too bad Topps didn't test this concept in 1957 . . .

oversize cards with alternative photos and facsimile autographs.

[GasHouseGang]

I remember buying a set from an ad in one of the hobby publications when they were originally issued, and the set I got were white backs. Shortly after that purchase, an article appeared in SCD saying that there were two varieties and that the white backs were more difficult to obtain, and the prices quickly went up on the white back sets. I haven't followed them since then, but that was what was originally reported. Maybe the white backs were the first printing?

[sago]

White backs were readily available in Nassau County. 3 card packs. My brothers and I made a killing on them as we bought tons of packs and were the only ones with the white ones at local shows. Cashed in quick as about a few months later they were everywhere, although still less plentiful than the gray ones. Good times.

[Zach Wheat]

Originally Posted by steve B

I actually bought the bulk cards at retail. Yellow box, top flap plus If I recall right a cutout in the front and a stack of cards inside. One store had them, but insisted you only buy what was on top. The other didn't care as long as you bought some. I probably have a box somewhere but it'll be a long search if I decide to look.

Steve B

Steve,

The photo in my post was the seller's photo. I just received the set and it is vacuum sealed so don't think I will open it. The cards are white back...which seller indicates are more rare than the gray backs - as Al previously mentioned.

However, I noticed approx. 1/4 of my cards are "oversized" by approx. 1/16th of an inch. Perhaps the cards were miscut on the left edge.

Is this standard? Or perhaps the other cards are trimmed....but I don't think so.

Z Wheat

[toppcat]

Originally Posted by sago

White backs were readily available in Nassau County. 3 card packs. My brothers and I made a killing on them as we bought tons of packs and were the only ones with the white ones at local shows. Cashed in quick as about a few months later they were everywhere, although still less plentiful than the gray ones. Good times.

I believe these could be found at Newberry's, if memory serves. Also a great store for Fun Packs back in the early 80's.

[steve B]

The sizes were fairly consistent. 1/16th seems a bit too much of a difference.

The Schmidt really seems to be missing blue. Combining that with the size difference makes me think someone cut up an unfinished sheet. That was pretty common at the time, full sheets could be had for most Topps sets from various sources, usually with problems. Wrong backs, unfinished sheets etc and many of them got cut into individual cards.

Sounds like a really good pickup even if just part of the set is that way.
I'd open it up and go through them, but that's just me. I don't recall which set I have. I know I have one of them complete.

Steve B

Originally Posted by Zach Wheat

Steve,

The photo in my post was the seller's photo. I just received the set and it is vacuum sealed so don't think I will open it. The cards are white back...which seller indicates are more rare than the gray backs - as Al previously mentioned.

However, I noticed approx. 1/4 of my cards are "oversized" by approx. 1/16th of an inch. Perhaps the cards were miscut on the left edge.

Is this standard? Or perhaps the other cards are trimmed....but I don't think so.

Z Wheat

[mrmopar]

Both 80 and 81 featured here. All variants I believe, at least all featuring Garvey that exist (besides Topps Vault stuff):

[bobthewondercat]

Have a lot of these including unopened boxes. Thinking a partial set would look sweet framed and hung in my office. Nice clear photos and great 80s hair and 'staches!

[brob28]

Here's a retail box, mostly gray cards in my area. Mine were all bought retail when I was a kid and the cards sizes vary top to bottom and side to side as Mike mentioned in his group.

[toppcat]

Originally Posted by steve B

I actually bought the bulk cards at retail. Yellow box, top flap plus If I recall right a cutout in the front and a stack of cards inside. One store had them, but insisted you only buy what was on top. The other didn't care as long as you bought some. I probably have a box somewhere but it'll be a long search if I decide to look.

Steve B

Me too-still have it.